How to make a chair back cover

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one chair)

• Main fabric (linen, canvas or heavy cotton) — about 110 cm wide × 70 cm
• Optional: elastic for the hem, or matching fabric for ties

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Home” → “Chair back cover” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the chair back width, the length you want it to cover, the thickness of the back and the top corner radius. Presets cover dining, small and large chairs.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Measure the chair back
   Measure the width at the widest point, the length you want covered, and the thickness of the back. Forget the thickness and the cover will be too tight to go on.
2. Trace the pattern
   Trace the cover (the same piece serves for front and back). Do not forget the rounded top corners.
3. Cut the pieces
   Cut 2 from the same pattern, one front and one back.
4. Finish the edges
   Zigzag or overlock the seam allowances.

4. Sewing

4-1. Join the two pieces

1. Place the two pieces right sides together and sew the top edge and both sides. Leave the hem open.
2. If the top corners are rounded, clip the seam allowance every 5 mm.
3. Press the seam allowances open.

4-2. Hem the bottom

1. Double-fold the hem by 1 cm and then 2 cm, and stitch.
2. If you are adding elastic, leave a 3 cm gap for threading.

4-3. Turn it and try it on

1. Turn right side out and press into shape.
2. Slip it onto the chair and check that it is neither tight nor the wrong length.
3. If it is tight, take less in the side seams; if it is loose, take more.

4-4. Stop it slipping (optional)

1. Elastic threaded through the hem pulls the cover snug against the chair. Cut it to about 85% of the actual hem circumference.
2. Alternatively, sew ties to the left and right of the hem and knot them behind the chair back. That version works on any chair shape.

✏️ Do not forget to enter the thickness. A chair back is not a flat board — most are 3 to 5 cm thick. Work from width and length alone and the cover will not go on. Measure the thickness, or if you are unsure, allow an extra centimeter.

5. Tips & variations

• Elastic does the work: threading elastic through the hem takes five minutes and makes the cover fit snugly instead of looking homemade.
• Make a spare: dining chairs get dirtier than you expect. A second cover in the same fabric means you can always have one in the wash.
• Match the pad: a chair pad in the same fabric unifies the whole chair.